Nearly two years ago, Samantha Snipes had a date with destiny.At 24, she was eight months pregnant and was trying to flee an unhealthy relationship. After missing her flight from Atlanta to Raleigh, North Carolina, she ended up with the last seat on standby and sat next to Temple Phipps. The two women struck up a conversation. "I'm still in disbelief when I tell the story or when I think about it," Phipps told WRAL. Snipes told Phipps she was planning on giving her unborn baby to give up her baby because she didn’t have a plan for the infant after she gave birth. Phipps gave the young woman her phone number and told her to call if she ever needed anything. A few days later, Phipps got a call that would change the course of her life. "She said, 'It's Samantha from the plane,'" Phipps said. "I said, 'Is everything OK?' and she said, 'I'm still in Raleigh. I had the baby. Do you want to come see us?'" Once Phipps got to the hospital, there was another surprise. Snipes asked if Phipps wanted to adopt the baby boy. Phipps, 42, says once she saw the baby, she knew she would become his mother. "I had been married, but have been single for quite a while now and always wanted children...but my parents are divorced, and I was very cautious about how I wanted to have a family and with whom," she said. "For a variety of reasons, it just never happened for me." Snipes told WRAL the decision was tough, but she knew it was the right one. "He looks so happy. She looks so happy. What do I want to do?" she said. "It's really scary, but it's the best thing I could have done in my life." Vaughn Preston Phipps was officially adopted in August 2017. Snipes has since moved to North Carolina to be closer to Phipps and her family. "People thought, 'She's coming to his birthday parties, and we have pictures of all of us together at the birthday party,' and that's the way it will be," Phipps said. The two women also said they are considering writing a book to tell their story.

RALEIGH, N.C. —

Nearly two years ago, Samantha Snipes had a date with destiny.

At 24, she was eight months pregnant and was trying to flee an unhealthy relationship. After missing her flight from Atlanta to Raleigh, North Carolina, she ended up with the last seat on standby and sat next to Temple Phipps. The two women struck up a conversation.

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"I'm still in disbelief when I tell the story or when I think about it," Phipps told WRAL.

Snipes told Phipps she was planning on giving her unborn baby to give up her baby because she didn’t have a plan for the infant after she gave birth. Phipps gave the young woman her phone number and told her to call if she ever needed anything.

A few days later, Phipps got a call that would change the course of her life.

"She said, 'It's Samantha from the plane,'" Phipps said. "I said, 'Is everything OK?' and she said, 'I'm still in Raleigh. I had the baby. Do you want to come see us?'"

Once Phipps got to the hospital, there was another surprise. Snipes asked if Phipps wanted to adopt the baby boy.

Phipps, 42, says once she saw the baby, she knew she would become his mother.

"I had been married, but have been single for quite a while now and always wanted children...but my parents are divorced, and I was very cautious about how I wanted to have a family and with whom," she said. "For a variety of reasons, it just never happened for me."

Snipes told WRAL the decision was tough, but she knew it was the right one.

"He looks so happy. She looks so happy. What do I want to do?" she said. "It's really scary, but it's the best thing I could have done in my life."

Vaughn Preston Phipps was officially adopted in August 2017. Snipes has since moved to North Carolina to be closer to Phipps and her family.

"People thought, 'She's coming to his birthday parties, and we have pictures of all of us together at the birthday party,' and that's the way it will be," Phipps said.

The two women also said they are considering writing a book to tell their story.